Jun. 27, 2013

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One of the dozens of hand-made messages of support for former South African President Nelson Mandela posted to the wall outside the Mediclinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa. / Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The lawsuit alleges that Corey Rossman, Jason Rosenbaum and Michael Beth who were with the IU student at various times that night in June 2011 owed her "a duty of care." Spierer's disappearance in Bloomington made national news. Since then, her parents, of Greenburgh, N.Y., have repeatedly said that her companions have not been forthcoming about what they know.

Bird, who took a year off to deal with physical issues and to clear his mind, agreed Wednesday to return and will be introduced in a news conference this morning. When he starts work Monday, Bird will be able to finish the job he started, says The Star's Bob Kravitz; Bird had been central to rebuilding the team after the notorious 2004 brawl in Auburn Hills, Mich.

About 100 people gathered Wednesday night outside the Statehouse to celebrate a gay rights victory on the federal level, but many know a long fight is still ahead at the state level. That's because Indiana lawmakers are working on a constitutional ban on gay marriage, which could go to a general vote in November 2014. The action had waited on the decisions of the Supreme Court, which on Wednesday issued a ruling that essentially allows gay marriages to continue in California, and also struck down a section of the Defense of Marriage Act that denied federal benefits to legally married same-sex couples. Indiana now bans gay marriage via state law.

• Also Wednesday, several Facebook users said their comments were deleted Wednesday from Indiana Gov. Mike Pence's official page after they criticized his statement responding to two U.S. Supreme Court decisions on gay marriage. The Republican governor reaffirmed his belief that marriage is between a man and a woman and supported the proposed constitutional referendum. In response to the Facebook users' allegations, Pence spokeswoman Kara Brooks only issued a one-sentence statement: "We respect the views and opinions of all Hoosiers."

Get your alternate routes planned out: Repairs to seven bridges will reroute thousands of Downtown area commuters starting in late August, officials said, so INDOT can increase the wiggle room for oversized vehicles. The announcement follows a crash on Feb. 22, in which an oversize vehicle struck the Virginia Avenue bridge, shutting down northbound I-65 and eastbound I-70 for emergency repairs over that weekend. INDOT has recorded more than 400 similar incidents since 1999.

Good-bye doughnuts, candy bars and high-fat chips -- those kinds of foods will no longer be allowed to be sold in school, as part of the government's "Smart Snacks in Schools" nutrition standards being announced today. The standards set limits for calories, fat, sugar and sodium and go into effect for the 2014-2015 school year.

Hundreds showed up Wednesday to watch the 45-year-old Croatian as he stared into the crowd and turns his head slowly to lock eyes with individuals in the audience, a gaze that is reputed to have healing powers all its own. Curious to see what it's about? Braco will hold sessions again today at the Ritz Charles between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.; cost is $8.

They'll spend a whopping $226 on a first date, more than in any other city, according to WhatsYourPrice.com. The price may make the city's men seem a bit shallow and materialistic, but some see it another way, says The Star's Dana Hunsinger Benbow. "The most generous cities are home to the most sincere daters," said Brandon Wade, founder and CEO. "The more a man invests in a first date, the more likely he will not take the opportunity for granted."

The L.A. Ink tattoo artist suggested on Twitter that she had ended her on-again, off-again relationship with the celebrity DJ over infidelity, reported US Weekly. If true, the news is sad history repeating itself for Von D: She was previously engaged to Sandra Bullock's ex-husband Jesse James in 2011 -- until James's serial cheating was revealed.